Your University Book Store Memories
University Book Store has been a cornerstone of the Seattle and UW community for over a century, and we want to include your memories in our 125th birthday celebrations.
A lot has happened in the past 125 years, and we want to know about it!
Share your story! Tell us about:
- An event you attended
- The friend you made
- A memorable visit to the store
- Working at the Book Store
- Anything else you’d like to share
Want to know more about our history?
Celebrating Our Journey Together
We’ll be collecting stories in-store and online and will periodically share them throughout 2025 as we celebrate our legacy and look towards making more memories in the future. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible by supporting our store and mission.
Share Your Memories
Customer Memories
I love the idea of the U-Bookstore as part of our social life. Speed dating. It was on a Thursday Night.* I was free, there were going to be great snacks, so I signed up for it. No love match occurred but I had a lot of fun talking to people about books and films. And yes, the snacks were great, too! *Back in the day, for a while, the book store stayed open late on Thursday nights for events, etc.
-Paulette
This is my first time visiting Seattle; with my friend Maggie. We really love the design of the bookstore. Maggie: for real
-Selina & Maggie
Free Gift Wrapping. I did it for so many grateful customers! Folks even offered to pay folks to wrap presents NOT purchased at UBS. 🙂
-Mary
I still remember Octavia Butler’s laugh from her book event at the UW Bookstore.
-Peter
Visiting UDub from Southern CA 🙂 Maybe I’ll see you again as a transfer in 2026!
-Julia & Jaz
I used to do the majority of my shopping here - my wardrobe was happy & my library full. Still love it but limited way. Stay strong.
-Sally
Attending a late night Harry Potter book release, in costume, with my then 10-year-old son and his friend. The mixing of adults, college students, and young kids was an absolute blast! it was a crowded and well orchestrated event. I'm a UW Alum who has been shopping here since the mid 1980s.
-Christina
My memory is seeing the Jellycat octopus thing for $800.
-Sullivan
Reading the book of Bill under the lower purple sofa sipping Boba and also getting some ahem assigned reading (The Great Gatsby and illegible) from illegible. BUY CRYPTO KIDS ❤️.. Also Odell Octopus 🙂
-Sun & Moon
Getting my textbooks - trying to find the best used ones! Always enjoy the fun gifts. :-) Keep up the UW traditions!
-Joan
Our family braved a snowy night for an author event. It was held in the church across the street. We enjoyed a magical evening listening to Brian Jacques, author of the Redwall series. And he was kind enough to sign all the books people queued up to have him sign and talk to his young fans. It is a cherished family memory.
-Bellows
Spending $700 on UW merchandise for family Christmas gifts.
-Anonymous
I came into the Book Store years and years ago. Dave Mustaine from Megadeth was doing a book signing and I did the meet and greet. Haven't been back since but yeah. Got to meet one of my idols. I love the store.
-Trace
My son took pictures looking through the shark face. We first encountered it in Mill Creek. Then, the store closed. We rediscovered in the Seattle store!
-Bertram
I first fell in love with the UW Bookstore when I moved to Seattle for grad school in 1987. My favorite memory is coming with my wife every post-Thanksgiving weekend over many years to buy children's books for our many nieces and nephews in California, Illinois, and Ohio as well as for our own two kids. The book selection was great. The sale prices were great. And the free wrapping and shipping made it so easy. We were very popular aunties!
-Allison
I was sitting on one of the cozy couches in bookstore, journaling quietly, after what had been a long and exhausting day. I wasn't in the best mood, just trying to unwind, when a guy walked up to me. He hesitated for a moment before saying, " I just wanted to say I really like your outfit and the way you look right now. " I looked up, a little surprised, and he continued, " I mean, you sitting here on the couch and writing like this - it's such a good vibe." Before I could respond, he quickly added, “ I'm not trying to hit on you or anything; I just felt like I had to tell you that's all. "His words were so genuine and unexpected that it completely turned my day around. I had started out feeling drained and low, but somehow, the small moment of kindness from a stranger made me feel lighter. He really made my day!
-Jade
For many years, the U Book Store made our holiday gift giving easy! Buy the book, have it wrapped and mailed to friends and family - shopping done!!
-Marie
Hello! This is my first time here and I'm loving it! The friend I made is the snowman jellycat! Ok see you when I'm a freshman in 2030! :-)
-Fiona
I worked at the bookstore a few years ago and found myself among the smartest and kindest people. It was a home to me. Tom and the warehouse guys welcomed me. I worked in just about every department and am so grateful for the time in this special place! ❤️
-Amanda
I grew up in Illinois and in 1970, I planned to come to Seattle for grad school. My next door neighbor related she had lived on University Avenue in the 1930s and enjoyed visiting the bookstore. So my introduction to the bookstore was vicarious. My own memories began in ‘71, but I treasure a vicarious memory of my friend Irene, a new bride with a traveling salesman husband. She was lonely and found comfort at the bookstore 90 years ago.
-Joan
Back when you used to carry non-Husky gear clothes I bought a casual shirt here. After I'd had it a while I had dinner with a friend. He looked at my shirt and said, " You bought that at University Book Store, didn't you? " Even without a logo or anything, UBS had its own style.
-David
While a student, I worked a collection of part-time jobs and was able to qualify for a UofW Bookstore credit card - happy and proud.
-Mark
Strolling aisles in the basement looking for textbooks, debating whether to try for a library copy ( if possible ) versus the expensive textbook. This was well before online textbooks! So many aisles and shelves, trying to find right book for right class.
-Mary
For a year straight, my best friend and I would come here once a week after school and hang out. We used to play hide and seek in the picture book aisles until the employees got mad at us. 8 years later, it’s still one of the best memories we have together. Thank you UW Bookstore ❤️
-Ryan
For my 10th birthday, my dad made a very specific wish come true - a new fountain pen. It was a Sheaffer from the Supply Department in the basement. Thanks!
-Nick
In 2009, I was at the November sale event. And I had my 8-month-old baby with me and my name was drawn to “shop” in the supply department for - I don't remember - maybe 3 minutes? Someone took my baby and I ran around grabbing as many supplies as I could. I still have the stapler that I grabbed! And I got my baby back :-)
-Michelle
Xmas music from UW quartet at school of music.
-Dave
: I had so little discretionary income while raising my two boys. but, every year I would come to the U Book Store and buy the yearly Van Allsburg ( it was a long time ago and I had to look up the spelling!) book. When I downsized and got rid of my considerable children's book collection, all my son said was, “Did you save the Allsburg books?” I did.
-Janna
A book on “The Boys in the Boat” by George Clooney was introduced to me here. All the best wishes from UConn family.
-Syed
Roaming around here and reading.
-Mahar
Patricia Briggs Dead Heat launch March, 2015 Signing my Mike’s Tavern shirt as herself and then channeling Mercy to sign the other shoulder
-Pam
I've been to the store on many memorable occasions, including when an employee asked if he should refer to Meat Loaf as "Mr. Loaf", but my favorite is when I took my then two-year old son to the children's section at a time when Santa Claus was in the store. Santa, as he would do, asked "what do you want for Christmas, little boy?" My son retorted, "we don't do Christmas, we're Jewish." Santa, as redfaced as one can be behind a large beard, beckoned me over. "Would he accept a candy cane?" "I'm sure he would." And we all left smiling.
-Rick
When I worked at KUOW 40 years ago, we had a great partnership with the bookstore. We would give away all kinds of free tickets -- to movies, lectures and concerts -- with the caveat that listeners had to pick them up at the bookstore, hopefully driving more traffic to the store. We worked with a splendid gentleman who was in charge of those arrangements, and he was a delight to collaborate with. The bookstore was such a cherished resource to the community in those days. While our children were growing up, we had a tradition of going to the bookstore around Christmas Eve, to find gifts for whoever we still needed something for. We always ended up with the perfect present for someone on our list, and invariably found some things that were also perfect for US! We all have happy memories of those last-minute shopping trips and can identify which items were secured that way!
-Susan
I met my wife as she was a cashier in the section then called “men’s + Women’s Wear” at UBS!
-Tom
I met my really great, and forever friend Riley! We were both looking at the cute stuffed animals and formed an immediate bond. We proceeded to get Aladdin’s after and we’ve been inseparable ever since. This book store really is magical. ❤️
-Thaily
Going w/ my friends after the Dawg Dash run & having my friend’s daughter be super excited about the big plush octopus next to the couch on the stair case. She wanted several pictures with it.
-Annelie
January 10, I invited my family’s friends and their children to visit Seattle and the UW campus. We are now looking around this bookstore together and taking pictures!
I’ve been shopping at UBS since 1978, freshman year of my time at UW. I love it still. Bought all my supplies for art classes in the basement and my books as well… So many happy memories. Husky gear for all the events, sports, etc… As a senior, I still shop at UBS for a nice book to read, journal, gifts and Husky gear… Then I get a nice cup of tea in Boon Boona cafe and read or look at my phone. It’s always relaxing and fun to browse at UBS. Validation parking is always nice or I take the train. Thank you, UBS!
-Gloria
We are sisters and we’ve been coming here w/our mama since we were young children. We like looking at the cute things and stationery and Elise is 15 and wants to go to UW someday :) and for Elsie’s 9th birthday I got her a Jellycat from here its name is Lamb Lamb.
-Parker & Elsie